NBA Draft: Ranking the top 15 prospects participating in the Sweet Sixteen

NBA Draft Jarrett Culver (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
NBA Draft Jarrett Culver (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
8 of 16
NBA Draft
NBA Draft Brandon Clarke (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

9. Brandon Clarke, Gonzaga

If you’re looking for raw overall talent, there might not be a bigger risk in the NBA Draft lottery than potentially taking Brandon Clarke. There’s a lot to like in his game, but he’s not close to being a finished product at all.

At 6-foot-8, he has great size and is a superb athlete. Not including Zion, you could make the argument that Clarke is the best athlete in this draft. He’s no question in the top 5 or 6. With that said, he still hasn’t proved that he can hit a consistent deep jump shot, shooting the 3-ball at 29 percent on the season (with less than 0.5 per game).

In today’s game, you have to be able to have the option in your repertoire. Even more so for a 3 or 4. It would be tough for Clarke to find big minutes if he becomes a liability on offense at the next level.